Documentary On Fighting For Your Art In The Commercial World

Earlier this week, I stumbled upon Eskimo’s latest passion project “Wonderland”. At first, I expected a step-by-step guide to finding success with commercial work. But in fact, what I watched felt more reminiscent of a support group.

The short documentary highlights a handful of creative professionals giving transparent insights into creative commerce.

To most, it would seem these companies are living the dream. Each individual has beaten the odds and found a way to monetize their art and create content for big brands. Although their lifestyle seems luxurious, each interviewee shares their personal struggle to create art that they are proud of while still paying the bills. They recount stories about how a brand has completely stifled their creativity and has become nothing but a paycheck. These are stories any creative professional can learn from.

The documentary is far from positive - but at the same time it's incredibly encouraging. It reminds fellow creative professionals of how lucky they are to be making a living off of their passions. It also gives examples of artists that have fought for their visions and ended up creating something that everyone was proud of.

Each job has the potential to give you: Creative control, a solid paycheck and a well-known client for your portfolio. If a job offers you at least two of these three opportunities, it’s probably a job worth taking. Feel free to share your encouraging commercial stories (or horror stories) in the comments.